There's an App for That
by veraklon
Summary: What's the worst kept secret in National City? That Kara Danvers is actually Supergirl. However, the citizens of National City are on the job to make sure the Maiden of Might never knows how bad she is at keeping the secret.
1. The HHA

10:14 in the morning on a Thursday in September meant it was a regular workday, but at least the weekend was nearly here. And while the office of CatCo Worldwide Media was always busy, on this particular floor, several stories below the top, it was mostly quiet. Sure, there were cubicles filling nearly every space available... and the clicking of keyboards created a nice, soothing background type of white noise, and for the most part, it was a good place to get lost in hustle and bustle of monotony.

"Hey, David." Or not.

The man in question, David Livingston, blinked several times as he looked away from his monitor and smiled when he saw Candice from bookkeeping one floor above, leaning against his cubicle wall, two cups of Noonan's coffee in her hands.

"One of those for me?" He asked hopefully. Trying to get through this past week's memos was giving him a headache. Whoever said taking a vacation was worth the hassle of coming back to the office and getting caught up on what was missed should be forced to take a vacation themselves. And besides, the coffee maker on this floor sucked. The coffee always tasted burnt.

Candice smiled. "Of course." After handing him the cup from her left hand, she moved closer. "Listen... I just checked the HHA, and we've got a few things coming in. Ms. Grant has scheduled a 1:30 briefing for the Heads, so could you keep watch? She's got Kara jumping, which means I'll be covering the desk."

"Sure. Of course." David agreed immediately. Like anyone would ever not help out. "Any idea of what's coming in?"

"It's from SupG1rlno1Fann. They've been here before, so no vetting necessary. I think the codes were for one of Kara's sweaters and a piece of jewelry."

"Jewelry?" He asked. "Other than the necklace from her mother from Krypton, what jewelry?"

"I'm not sure. The message board is going crazy thinking about it. Supsup4657 started a whole thing about some photo James took where there's a glint of something on Supergirl's left wrist. The upstairs crew are betting on an earring. And then the big gossip... there was talk of Lena Luther finally proposing, but I never saw a ring." Candice paused. "Do Kryptonians even do rings?"

"No idea," David sighed. "But if it's important jewelry, we need to make it a priority to get it to her quick." He paused to take sip of his coffee. Candice did as well. "And if it is something important, we need to make a notation on the HHA."

"I'll try and have a word with Ms. Grant immediately after the afternoon meeting. If you get Kara's things before it lets out, can you also run interference so that Kara won't hear what we're discussing?"

"You got it. If I can't distract her, I'll put a message out on the HHA to come up with something." He chuckled. "Remember last time we put an All Call out on the HHA Board?"

Candice smiled. "That pizza place around the corner..."

"Vinnie's." David supplied.

"Right. Vinnie's called to say Kara had won ten free pizzas, but only if she could pick them up in the next ten minutes... losing one pie for every one minute she was late after the ten minutes was up? Oh, yeah. She got all ten pizzas."

"And she shared." He paused. "Well, she shared one."

"Alright." Candice finished her coffee and threw the now empty cup into David's wastebasket. "Let me know if anything more comes up... and make sure SupG1rlno1Fann gets the point credit on HHA. If the jewelry ends up being a big deal, they might get an immediate bump up from Ms. Grant."

HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA

It was nearly four in the afternoon before the Department Head meeting let out.

To most of the denizens employed at CatCo, that meeting had been the most important thing happening, except to those few in the know. For what really, really mattered, it was a clandestine meeting between an unemployed college student and lowly office drone from a middle floor that would mean so much more for the safety and, more importantly, the sanity of possibly the most powerful individual on Earth. Sadly, however, the meet up was happening now, after said meeting.

"Are you Supergirl Number One Fan with two n's.". David asked.

The person he was talking to was a nice looking girl, late teens, with half of her head shaved bald. It was he could do to not say something, but she wasn't his daughter, thankfully. His little girl was most likely home from middle school right now... and with all of her head covered in blonde hair, not the bright purple he was looking at currently.

At his question, the teen nodded quickly. She lifted a backpack that was resting at her feet and quickly opened it, but not before glancing around to observe if anyone was too close by. There wasn't. This area of the CatCo lobby was intentionally left clear. Ms. Grant made sure to keep this particular HHA meeting place free and clear.

"Here." The young woman lifted out one of Kara's sweaters, a light grey in color, that was in a laundry bag. "It got something on it. I stopped by Wooten's from HHA to get it cleaned."

David accepted the garment. Initiative. He liked it. "Do you need reimbursement?"

"Nah. Old man there was cool. He's on the app, too. He said to remember him." A new contributor. David made a mental note to pass the message up the chain. Ms. Grant was sure to throw in some publicity, free of charge, to anyone that helped. And besides, with the contacts that could be made from joining HHA, cleaning this one sweater might mean the difference between success and failure.

"And this." His gaze was brought from the sweater to the girl's hands carefully cradling a bracelet.

A bracelet. That was like referring to Excalibur as a knife. It was exquisite, beyond anything he had ever seen, much less was about to touch. He wanted to spend days looking at it, to bask in the glory of it. Songs should be sung about this.

It was so amazing in its simplicity... but so complex that it beggared a master poet to describe it. The metal, platinum, or maybe something otherworldly, was in constant motion. It always caught the light even standing in the shadows as they were. No jewels. No fancy designs, but alive. And it was cool... cold, like it missed being on someone's wrist.

"Yeah. I couldn't speak either." She spoke into his dumbfoundedness. When he finally drew his attention away from the bracelet, she smiled. "It says 'My Love, Always, My Love' inside."

He nodded. Somebody definitely had game.

"Anyway," the purple headed teen continued. "I was walking to class this morning and the bracelet caught my eye. Found it and the sweater behind the Bubba-Gump Shrimp place near NCU. Got an alert on HHA that Supergirl was seen in the area saving some dude trying not to fall off a building. Figured it might be hers."

David was already nodding. "The sweater? Definitely. The bracelet? Well... probably, but if it is, you're the first to know about it."

"Sweet!" Her eyes lit up. "I wish I could meet her."

"We might be able to swing something. As Kara? Would that be okay?"

She was practically vibrating. "Yes, please, yes. Oh my god! This is so cool. What's she like? Is it fun working with her? Can I talk to her?"

He cut her off as quick as he could. "Hold on. Okay?" David waited as she calmed down. "What's your name?"

"Hillary. Hillary Mason."

"Okay, Hillary, here's how it goes. First, how long have you been a part of the Hero Helpers Application?"

"Six months."

"And your rank?"

"Seventeen."

At her answer, David knew his eyebrows were in his hairline (not receding, thank you very much.). A seventeen after six months was unheard of. He'd been brought in fairly quick, ground floor, and he was only a twenty-five.

He didn't even have to ask. She offered.

"I know. Crazy, right? My BFF for life, Chloe, is the little sister of Alex Danvers' roommate in college. It gave her an in to all things crazy and impossible about Kara. And when Supergirl showed up on the scene, Chloe clued me in about the possibilities."

David was nodding along to keep the story going.

"So, when CatCo started the Super Spotter Application... there was no way we weren't going to get on it. And it wasn't long before we got invited to beta test the first version of Hero Helper." She gushed for a moment. "To be able to help out a real life superhero? Who wouldn't jump at it? I mean, it was fun being all, so, super secretive about it, but come on... Kara is, like, the absolute worst at keeping a secret. We all had to do our part to help her out."

"But six months?"

Hillary smiled. "You can't be invited if you don't live here. I moved here for school six months ago. Once I got my local mailing address, the link from Super Spotter to Hero Helper went active."

David grinned at her answer.

The Hero Help Application, or HHA (as most referred to it), was the most downloaded "invitation only" app in the L-Phone's history. At current count, nearly three quarters of National City were linked in, with nearly half of that number approved for knowing the Kara Danvers/Supergirl secret. It was probably the most widely known secret in the world, that Cat Grant's personal assistant was secretly Supergirl.

The Super Spotter app started it all with CatCo providing a forum that allowed photos and stories and sound bites dedicated to the young super heroine a place to all come together, while under the watchful eye of it founder. To entice others, the SSA offered exclusive content, never before seen close ups of their focus, plus first hand accounts from those that knew her. It was an immediate hit.

Hero Helper came after Ms. Grant weeded out a few outstanding participants that seemed to be catching on to Supergirl's secret identity, and showed a willingness to help the young woman out.

"So, my name is David Livingston. While I know Kara, I don't normally interact with her on a daily basis." Hillary began to frown. "But, I am a part of the CatCo HHA crew, so I have a few avenues to offer.

"Give me a minute to make a call or two, and then we'll get you going. Do you have anywhere to be?"

She smiled in a way that David thought Supergirl might get a recharge from it. "Totally free. My plans are all about looking for part time work. Know anybody hiring?"

Nodding, David pulled his L-Phone from his pocket and quickly dialed. Candice picked up immediately.

"Any trouble?"

He laughed. "None. We've got a Rank Seventeen. I recommend a jump to twenty." He ignored her soft gasp. "The bracelet is a Level One. I don't know what it is, but it's up there with the super suit. Maybe more."

"It's more." Candice offered. "I'm in with Ms. Grant right now. Lena did propose. Kryptonians exchange bracelets. Not rings. That one was made for Lena. Kara's wearing hers."

"Okay." He took a breath and looked at the teen. Maybe twenty wasn't high enough. "Fan with two n's wants to meet Kara. Do we have any ideas?"

"Hold on for a sec...". David listened while Candice brought Ms. Grant up to speed. "David? Are you there?

"Still here."

"Ms. Grant wants to meet her, too. Bring her up right now. Story will be she's being interviewed as a part time babysitter for Carter."

He glanced over to where Hillary was trying to not seem to be listening to him talk. "Has she seen..."

Candice interrupted him, thankfully. "We see you on the monitors. Ms. Grant says she's fine."

"Alright. We're on our way up."

HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA

"Oh em gee! Ms. Grant. It is such an honor."

The woman in question, currently sporting a smile that screamed bemusement, stood as David and Hillary walked into her office.

"No, my dear. Hillary, is it? The honor is mine. It's so nice to meet you. Would you like to sit down?"

The purple haired girl seemed to almost run out of steam. "Please." At Ms. Grant's gesture, Hillary collapsed onto the white couch she was indicated towards. David watched as she closed her eyes and leaned back almost bonelessly. It was apparently what every teen could do and did, because every adult in the room smiled.

"Not how you expected your day to go?"

At Ms. Grant's inquiry, the object of everyone's gaze blinked and sat up. "Not at all. I'm trying not to freak out. I'm going to meet...". She looked around the room. "Her."

"You are."

Pulling her attention away from the college student, she gestured towards Candice and then looked at him. Daniel? Camille? Can you sort out Kara's belongings, please."

Ignoring how Ms. Grant mangled his and Candice's names... again... he quickly opened the Wooten's bag and left the office. Looking around the room, no one was paying him any obvious attention (not that it mattered. Everyone on Cat Grant's floor was an HHA member), so he pulled Kara's desk chair out and draped it carefully on the back. He then gently placed that oh so marvelous bracelet into said sweater's left pocket.

Candice smiled at the brief glimpse of the jewelry. She then sat in the chair, making sure to knock the sweater to the floor.

"Where's Kara?"

At his question, she looked up. "Alex Danvers called. Needed some sisterly advice regarding Detective Sawyer."

"HHA contacted Alex?"

Candice giggled. "Nope. Lucky accident." She turned to look into Ms. Grant's office to see their boss conversing with the apparently new Rank Twenty HHA member." Kara should be arriving back in a moment and able to meet Carter's new weekend babysitter."

"She's actually interviewing her?" He asked, surprised.

"Of course." Candice waved her hand. "An untapped HHA over Rank Fifteen? That we missed?"

"True."

David would have said more, but the elevator chose that moment to open, revealing a very distraught Kara Danvers. Without thought, David asked Candice who the kid in Ms. Grant's office was, as Kara joined them.

"Mr. Livingston. It's not my place to inform you of who Ms. Grant chooses to meet with. And as I have already stated, you need to make an appointment if..." Candice glanced over his shoulder. "Oh. Kara. Back already?"

The blonde fiddled with her glasses. "Thanks, Candice, for keeping watch. Hi, David. Have either of you seen..."

It was apparently at that moment when Kara saw her sweater on the floor behind where Candice was sitting. In what was easily superhuman speed, the young woman dove for the material, clutching in her hands, while reaching into one of the pockets.

David felt his heart lift. Kara seemed to relax and her eyes glistened with unshed tears at finding the bracelet.

"Is everything okay, Kara?"

Kara nodded towards Candice. "I r-really, uhm, well... my sis-sister gave me this sweater."

Any response David or Candice might have offered went unspoken, as Ms. Grant decided then and there to join the subterfuge.

"Keira!"

Kara jumped, never releasing the sweater, as she moved quickly towards the office. "Yes, Ms. Grant?"

David smiled towards Candice. Another job well done. Seeing that neither of them were needed anymore, each started towards the elevator, each to their own floor. Candice to bookkeeping, and he to his own small cubicle maintaining CatCo online applications.

As he waited for the elevator doors to open, he glanced back to watch the ending to what started out as another Thursday in the life of a CatCo employee.

"Keira, meet Hillary Mason. She's Carter's new babysitter on weekends. I need you to take her information down. You and she will need to be able to contact one another in case I can't be reached."

Kara was quickly tapping away at her always present L-Pad, while Hillary looked like her birthday and Christmas had all decided to visit her today... all hand delivered by Supergirl.

"How's that sound, Haley?"


	2. All Things in Moderation

She wanted to scream...no, she wanted to laugh... wait, dance... or sing a song. Or maybe scream. Wait! Did she say that one already? She could call Mandy... or Chuck. Ooooo... her sister, Barbara. She could rub it in her face, finally wipe that smug smirk off her face.

Did she get an email? Did she or any of her group of sycophants receive an offer to be a moderator?

The answer would be no. No, no, no, no nooooooo. Nope. Nada. Let me see... no.

She knew that.

None of them (her sister, especially ) had gotten such an honor... to be invited to be a Moderator for the HHA.

For what had to be the thousandth time, Lisa read over the exclusive offer being afforded to her. She had finally achieved Rank Fifteen on the Hero Helper App this past Sunday after providing an alibi, receipts included, for Kara Danvers to be halfway across town while Supergirl was saving the day over at Lord Technologies.

Maxwell Lord could suck it.

It had been simple, really. A quick message to the HHA message board, which led her to a private link, moving to a private meet up with a detective with the National City Science Police, and then a quick positive encounter rating from each for the other and them... Blamo! Lisa Parker was upgraded to Rank Fifteen.

And everyone knew the good stuff happened at Fifteen or higher. There were rumors of perks and special offers. Chances. Of almost prizes that online auction websites were begging for.

And now she, Lisa Michaela Parker, had her Golden Ticket.

Just last week, Cindi with an eye told her that Jody with a why... that her cousin got an L-Phone call from Lena Luthor's personal assistant's assistant-in-training regarding a private lunch that needed to happen, and since said cousin knew the chef slash co-owner of the Australian slash Latino fusion bistro, could they do a private table for Lena and Kara.

At least that one was more believable than of some loser getting hired as Carter Grant's nanny. No way was that real.

It was all Lisa could do not to call Cindi with an eye and let her know that she had been offered more than helping to plan a date. No, she was going to be an actual HHA Moderator.

She took a deep breath. And then another. One just wasn't enough.

Okay.

Good.

Her giddiness under control, she read over the email again.

HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA

To: Ms. Lisa M. Parker

Customer Number: 14674sg2434333fgt0

Username: LMPlovesSG1

(That was her!)

Congratulations on achieving Hero Helper Rank Fifteen.

(Fifteen, losers!)

After careful review of your participation during your online time utilizing both the Super Spotter Application and subsequent invite into the Hero Helper Application, we are pleased to offer you the position of Hero Helper Message Board Moderator, classification Gamma.

As a Class Gamma Moderator, in addition to access to all previous Rank considerations and those listed upon reaching Rank Fifteen, you shall receive several exclusive...

(Blah, blah, blah...who actually reads all of this? Skip down to the bottom...)

We appreciate all that you have done, and we look forward to speaking with you in a whole new capacity soon.

Sincerely,

FIRST MODERATOR

Winn4TheWin

HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA - HHA

She'd made it. That's what the email stated. She had made it.

Lisa leaned back in her desk chair, tempting fate (as her Dad loved to say) by only using two of the four legs to be on the floor. She sipped at her Mountain Dew, savoring the sugary goodness, while she considered her response.

Of course, she was going to accept. She'd be a fool not to, but reading through all of the jargon of blah through blah, there was a lot to consider.

Step one was to open the HHA on her L-Phone and hit confirm under the menu prompt that asked is she accepted, which she had already done. Steps two through six were a bit more involved, most similar to the last job Application she'd filled out, ironically enough for CatCo Worldwide Media, though a few years prior to Supergirl's debut and well before the HHA.

Those steps were completed on her desktop, but she was still considering many of the fine print rules and such before hitting submit.

Step seven was a face-to-face with some Rank Twenty or higher. Eh.

Again, it was a foregone conclusion that she was going to say yes. Lisa just wanted to take the time to read it all again, much like how she thought her parents would want her to; like an actual adult. And besides, if this First Moderator was keeping track of how long she was taking, maybe that was a good thing. She didn't want to seem too eager.

Finally killing off her soda, she returned all chair legs to the floor to hit submit when her L-Phone dinged with an alert. She swiped the photo of her and Chuck from happier times that she hadn't yet had the heart to change, when she realized the HHA had sent out a widespread notification.

ALERT - PRIORITY THREE

There was a L-Chat link to several online reports, CatCo's articles first, duh, but several other outlets' following behind. Supergirl was fighting some robot looking guy in the L-Corp lobby. Authorities were on the scene. Agent Danvers and Agent Henshaw were spotted...

How was this a Priority Three? Lisa considered that this was why they needed better Moderators while she continued to scan the articles. This shouldn't be such a big deal... she clicked over to the Message Board she was soon going to be partially responsible for. Maybe there was something ther... Oh!

There it was.

Oh, this wasn't good.

The HHA board was full of posts screaming that Agent Danvers had possession of a member's L-Phone, with the HHA unlocked.

Well, that was going to be a major deduction of Rank points for somebody

Lisa hit submit on her application. They definitely needed all the help they could get. Reaching to the miniature fridge she kept in her home office, she pulled out another Mountain Dew and quickly unscrewed the top, while simultaneously splitting her computer screen and setting her L-Phone on its stand.

After taking a sip of soda, she quickly opened her L-Mail to see that her submission had apparently been fast tracked along with a note from Winn4TheWin that offered her temporary immediate Moderator command. Upon agreement, her entire HHA screen changed. Now, next to each username was the actual user's name, hyperlinked. Running her finger over each showed current location and current Rank.

A private L-Message popped up on her computer.

Winn4TheWin PRIVATE you ready?

(Am I ready? Pbbbthhh. Abso-fracking-lutely.)

LMPlovesSG1 Lisa M. Parker i am. what u need?

Winn4TheWin PRIVATE open hha gps. find any nrby rnk12 or + arnd supgrl. ignore sawyer and any mrkd private.

(So... Detective Sexy-Pants, main squeeze of Alex Danvers wasn't a classified HHA member. Wasn't that interesting. And if "on the scene" Sawyer wasn't high enough to be private, who were the two there that were?

A query for a later date.)

LMPlovesSG1 Lisa M. Parker instructions?

Winn4TheWin PRIVATE get that phone! Destroy if nec

LMPlovesSG1 Lisa M. Parker done

Okay. This she could do. Following the instructions given, she quickly synced her L-Phone to the desktop monitor say that she could make use of the actual keyboard. From there, it was easy to open and find the location of the HHA members at L-Corp.

She almost laughed. There had to be over a hundred members there. It took more time to find Rank Twelve or higher than it took to actually use the GPS. After sorting through, Lisa finally found that she could set the app to sort those within the parameters set around a given location. That changed the numbers she was looking at from over one hundred down to nineteen. Clicking on the private message icon, she quickly passed on the necessary instructions to those nineteen, careful to leave DetMSawyer and the two (aaargh! Who were they?) listed as Private out. That job completed, she turned to the rest of the board and decided to take some proactive steps.

First, she introduced herself to the HHA as a whole. Ordinarily on any other day, she would have waited after said intro in order to bask in the congratulations and such from everyone... especially her friends and sister who would recognize her username. Something to savor on that future day.

Instead, Lisa posted a warning to everyone that HHA membership clearly stated that while loss of an L-Phone was a distinct possibility, and forgivable, that allowing it to have an unlocked Hero Helper App up and running was paramount to treason, and the fallout of such an offense, even if and when recovered and discovery had been prevented, started at the loss of Rank and ended with termination of membership.

It had never really occurred to her that she could make a good enforcer. Not really something she considered in her wheelhouse, but from the immediate confirmations and agreements from the general consensus of the board, as well as a quick note of acknowledgement from the username TheBestLane, it might be a good fit.

Threats made by her aside, the message board was active. Posts offering support were flowing in, while several candid shots of the battle (mostly blurry) and the aftermath (oh, that's a cute one of Supergirl helping Lena off the floor) started appearing. There already had been several photos that dinged as Locked. CatCo always got first right of refusal on photographs up for purchase. Some lucky few just made some bank.

While following over everything, the notification she had been waiting on came in. Privately, of course.

Winn4TheWin PRIVATE lost phone recovered. recommend 0987sUpErfAn Janet J. Johnson for upgrade of rank. 13 to 14.

She posted back her acknowledgment. Her first... what time is it? Oh, already nearly eight in the evening. She should order pizza from Vinnie's. Her first two hours as a Moderator and she had already helped avert a Priority Three crisis, as well as would get to shoot a Rank Upgrade recommendation to Cat Grant.

What a wonderful day.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow she'd rub her sister's nose in the fact that she'd gotten an HHA Moderator position.

The HHA started to finally calm down. Lisa followed along the various threads until she could finally make out what had occurred: the postings finally agreed that a cyborg clone of Agent Henshaw attacked L-Corp. Supergirl stepped in to stop him, and in the confusion, a Rank Six member had dropped her L-Phone with the HHA up and active. Once the fight was over, cyborg clone got away, Agent Danvers picked up said L-Phone. It was here that the Priority Three was sent out, due to the fact that Agent Danvers saw the HHA up and running and started demanding answers.

It was a Rank Eleven achievement that got you the info that Agent Alex Danvers was the foster sister to Supergirl, as well as a founding member of the Super Spotter App, though obviously never invited into the Hero Helper version.

At this point, it apparently was a one slash two switcheroo when Janet Johnson claimed the L-Phone and played it off as a new skin she had designed and was trying to get CatCo to buy for the Super Spotter App, while Detective Sawyer distracted Agent Danvers, complaining of a headache.

The best news, however, was at Rank Six, the majority of incriminating info was censored, which meant that while Kara's sister would be curious, no damaging names, posts and such were accessible from the device. There would be, however, repercussions still. Most likely the culprit would lose a Rank or two. If their Rank had been higher, the punishment would have been heavier.

All's well that ends well.

Lisa smiled while she reached for her L-Phone to order a pizza when the HHA message board yet again caught her eye.

What?

Of course. First day hazing. It had to be. There was no way she now was supposed to deal with an application request for HHA membership from MikeTheIntern. Didn't that space frat boy wannabe realize that he was never getting in?

Following the protocol that absolutely every HHA member knew as Rule Fourteen, she immediately quarantined the new username and sent it to the CatCo HHA Notification Center. She'd let LivingstonD007 deal with it.

She deserved breadsticks now, too. Lisa dialed Vinnie's number.


	3. And Now A Word From Our Sponsor

Welcome to the Hero Helper Application

by Cat Grant

The rules and expected behaviors for membership on phone apps are sometimes extremely amusing to read. Pokémon Go was particularly humorous when the makers had to add for users to watch where they were going and to not play while driving. Common sense was somewhere else, apparently. Seems getting hurt or dying while texting during inappropriate vehicular moments wasn't foolhardy enough. It took a backseat (no pun intended. Was that a pun?) when compared to the uneducated masses trying to catch a Squrtle.

And those were just warnings.

The latest and newest craze; apps now could have actual bylaws, rules, codes of conduct and violation penalties that were enforceable. If you hacked the aforementioned Pokémon Go in the hopes of being able to sit at home while your avatar was walking in circles to hatch some eggs, you could get kicked out and banned from playing. And all for just a game. Which begged the obvious question: was it worse to get hurt and maybe die, or to be forced not to play?

According to my son, Hermione Granger had thought expulsion was the worser fate than death... and since that was the opinion of the supposed "smartest witch of her age", then maybe she was on to something and we should all simply follow along.

Like sheep.

Lemmings off the cliff side.

Yes. I upped the stakes even further. Imagine my audacity at helping to create a phone app (in this case, the Hero Helper Application), an exclusive app for L-Phone users, that was invitation only... and there was no immediate way of realizing how to become eligible for an invitation until after you accepted said invitation. The process was simple in its execution, once in the know, but actually reaching the achieved levels and status to be recognized was trickier than trying to understand how the last episode of Lost could ever have been considered good, even if you threw in those unaired fifteen minutes of Hurley as the new Jacob.

(Relax. My son just pointed out that some of my references are dated. I'll try to stop. It's not like I referenced a snow globe and St. Elsewhere, is it?

Or some satanic looking 'dancing baby' to some ooga-chakka ooga-chakka.)

To oh-so-super (another pun!) secret process on the road to gaining the invite began simply enough by being a member and subscriber to the CatCo sponsored Super Spotter Application. I know, it sounds like self promotion, but all L-Phone apps have sponsors. CatCo simply put its brand above the title. And at this point, there's really no need to go into how the app worked, is there? The SSA was about all things Supergirl. And, hey... if you had to purchase a paid subscription to the National City Tribune and the other monthly and/or weekly publications CatCo had for sale, it was all worth it in the end for the exclusive content, right? But I digress.

Onto the invitation...

So, membership and PAID subscription to the SSA? Check.

Next, you had to be more than just a lurker troll type. Sure, you could simply enjoy the alerts when Supergirl was spotted. Read witness reports and quick blurbs that didn't make it into the actual printed articles. And candid photos. But it was the SSA Message Board that suddenly brought the whole thing to life in a way that the I, as creator and founder, had not foreseen.

Username StargateIsMyJam (identified as Jeffrey Malcolm, age thirteen) started it all. He posted an L-Chat selfie showing his family safe and sound after being saved by Supergirl... with said Hero alongside Jeffrey. Her arm casually draped on the thirteen year old's shoulder. But it's how the photo came about that's interesting. The Malcolm family home had been in the middle of a home invasion; and, hiding in his bedroom closet, a brave young Jeffrey posted on the SSA Message Board that he and his family were in trouble. Supergirl arrived within three minutes of his posting for aid.

(Now for the disclaimer)

There has never been any concrete proof that the Last Daughter of Krypton was an SSA subscriber, though there is now ample enough evidence that lends to the thought. But more on that later.

After the now famous StargateIsMyJam posting and subsequent photo, the message board lit up. Within two hours and, of course, the application crashed. A long, grueling forty-seven minutes later when it came back online, it crashed again. This would be the case for the next three weeks. (Twenty-one freaking days!). But even down, the SSA was being subscribed to by hundreds of L-Phone users per minute. Within twenty-four hours, the L-Phone was sold out within two hundred miles outside of the National City limits and the online L-Corp store had a listed delivery date of two months away.

I will admit here and now that I never envisioned that an app designed to keep up with National City's very own superhero, as well as to visually increase the CatCo logo, would turn into what it had become. Now, instead of small puff writings (that my assistant spends way too much time reading when she should be working!) from the Tribune, as well as a place to pick up some candid photographs of the Maiden of Might at cost, together we created an online forum that worked so much better than a spotlight in the sky or a silly red phone that was a direct line to the police commissioner.

(A moment, please... A spotlight? Really? Just commit crimes during the day!)

We had created a direct line to a Hero. But it wasn't just to Supergirl we wrote. Once enough servers were brought online to support the SSA (and the message board calmed down), postings from various users sought out help for their various problems... and other subscribers answered.

Take my favorite example:

GloryLives1998 (identified as Claire Kramer) posted to the SSA Message Board that she was worried about her kids walking home from school and having to walk past the park at Thirteenth Avenue and Main. In response, ImYourHuckleberry2 (identified Samuel Bode, a retired National City Postal Worker) now patrols the walkway at the park for those kids and the children of others. For free.

G1rlPow3rN0w (identified as Maria Bernechilli), owner and proprietor of the The Hole Truth Food Truck (the best gourmet doughnut holes in National City according to my assistant), also now sits her truck at that park in the afternoons, surprisingly enough at just the time when school lets out. I shouldn't mention that The Hole Truth gives out free samples to all schoolchildren between 3 and 4 every day that she's parked there.

I shouldn't also mention that a small blurb about the actions of said food truck made it into the CatCo online feed. That same week, the Super Spotter App went nuts to find Supergirl candidly stopping by The Hole Truth at closing time one evening and buying all of the available leftover doughnut holes.

The photo of Supergirl standing alongside Mrs. Bernechilli holds a place of honor next to the pictures of her son's college graduation, I'm told, on her home's wall of happiest memories.

Supergirl inspires us to be better... and we should be better, because we have the power to inspire her.

So, this is your official welcome to the Hero Helper Application.

If you haven't figured it out yet, it's your willingness and desire to be more than just another sheep or lemming that has afforded you this opportunity to join a community that wants to be something other than a cryer for help. Like me, you wish for National City to be THE place to live. We want the biggest and the brightest. And while we have Supergirl to lead our charge, even she needs support. Our support.

Can you provide that? If the answer's yes? Check.

As a member of the HHA, all subscription fees previously paid to the SSA (keep up with these acronyms, got it?) have already been refunded back into whichever banking institution from which it was paid. In cases of money orders or closed accounts and L-Sore gift cards, the monies were donated into various known Supergirl supported charities. We do encourage you to donate your refunded fees to any of these wonderful charities.

Second, you remember all of those rules and bylaws and codes of conduct I laughingly told you about at the beginning of this? Yes, it's time to look them over. This is non negotiable. Please take the time to read over each point... and yes, there's a lot of them, but nothing worth having comes easily. You will find the link HERE. Your HHA membership will be considered inactive until this is completed.

Once that is finished, next you will receive your initial Rank Classification between Rank One to Rank Six. This has caused a lot of controversy in the past, so I will try and explain it as simply as I can (even my assistant finally got it): the world isn't fair.

Understand?

In all honesty, however, the real reason your HHA starting Ranks can differ is that the SSA has thousands upon thousands of members. We estimate that the entire population of National City and its surrounding areas (excluding those obvious exclusions) will have membership within the next two years. And because of that, there is simply no logistically possible way to go through every eligible SSA member and offer them HHA membership at the exact same level. To that, please trust that the Moderators of the the HHA are carefully screening all invitees and are offering the appropriate Rank.

If you get offered Rank One, you got an early invite. Congrats. If you're Rank Two through Six... sorry. We're late. Have a higher Rank as an apology.

See? As fair as we here at HHA can make it in this unfair world (that will keep my assistant from pouting. A pitiful sight to see, I promise you).

And lastly, there is golden rule I live by. This rule has been affectionately referred to as Cat's Law. I didn't name it, but I had (past tense, you notice) enough respect for the person who came up with it that I let it slide for too long, and once the HHA Message Board got a hold of it, well... all I will say on the matter now is to never let affection for lose less fortunate than you cloud good business judgement. So here it is...

Cat's Law - Never allow THE SECRET to be known.

The Hero Helper Application is about many things, some of which I've discussed here, as well as many other points of order mentioned in the Rules and Regulations page. With each Rank achieved, new perks and considerations are provided. Service begets reward, and I am generous with those I find worthy. But above all else, this application is about helping Supergirl.

It is to my everlasting shame that I, in a fit of hubris, once attempted to break Cat's Law. And worse, I attempted to break Cat's Law directly with the focus of said Secret. It almost cost me everything. I still suffer nightmares about all of the "what if's" that might have been suffered due to my forgetting how important peace of mind had to be maintained to actually be Supergirl. I will never forget again. I pray you never have to learn in the way I did.

Please. If you cannot abide by Cat's Law, please refuse this invitation.

There have been, to date, twenty-two rejections of this invitation. In all but one instance, I applauded the reasoning behind the decline, and my respect for those individuals rose to previously unheard of heights. The lone remaining refusal I still don't understand, but I'm sure they had their reasons, whatever those might be.

Failure to adhere to Cat's Law is an entirely different matter. So far, there have been nine hundred eighty-six attempts to break said Law, with only seventy-three of those having been classified as accidental.

In regards to those seventy-three, each instance was investigated thoroughly and the appropriate steps were taken to minimize any short term and long term possible problems that might occur. Each guilty member was subject to the appropriate censure, up to possibly including dismissal from the HHA.

For the nine hundred thirteen intentional violations of Cat's Law, which include disgruntled members, as well as the occasional hopeful rising super villain, each was dealt with harshly and without reservation. Remember people, Supergirl has the support of our fine city's municipal workers (police, emergency, fire, etc.) and Federal approval (anyone remember Madam President Marsdin?). The HHA has some high ranking members.

And hello? Cat Grant here.

Here is your first and final warning. Keep Cat's Law close to your heart... and heaven help you if you choose not to, because no one else will.

But I don't like talking about that anymore.

Let's go back to being happy.

The Hero Helper Application is about being proactive. About helping, not only Supergirl, but to each other. To help make National City the crown of the free world.

I want to be the very first to say "welcome", but I also get to be the first to officially say "thank you" for all that you have done... and for all that you and I will do, together. The Hero Helper Application can be all that you want it to be and more. We are a community based around service, but we are so much more. We are friends, brothers, sisters; we offer deals and benefits. Membership DOES have its advantages.

So, let's get started.

If you've not already completed the Rules and Regulations as indicated somewhere above, here's another LINK to do so. Now. Full membership will not be activated until you do so. And, hey... you'll get to all of the really good stuff after you're signed in.

The HHA can be one of the most fulfilling memberships you have the opportunity to be a part of. Drink the Kool-Aid. Trust me (can I put in the maniacal laugh now?). Don't let this opportunity slip past you. I know the waters look dark, but it will be okay. We're all here to support you, and we want you to help support us. Dive in.

It'll be worth it.

Sincerely,

Cat Grant, CEO

CatCo Worldwide Media

Creator & Founder of the Super Spotter Application

Second Official Member of the Hero Helper Application

(Second? Weren't expecting that, were you?)


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